Fr. Francis De La Vega, OAR
Funeral Mass was held Jan. 6 at Mary Star of the Sea, Oxnard, for Augustinian Recollects Father Francis De La Vega, who died Jan. 1.

Born in Omaha, he made his profession in the Order of Augustinian Recollects in 1937 and was ordained a priest on May 12, 1943 in Leavenworth, Kansas. Father De La Vega received a PhD in philosophy at Catholic University of America in 1948 and for several years taught Latin, religion and philosophy at Creighton University and Donnelly College.

Locally, he was pastor at Mary Star of the Sea from 1983-1994 where he is remembered for his organizational expertise, including the establishment of the building fund for the new church which opened in 1997. From 2001-2003, he served as an associate pastor at the parish.

"He was a man of deep spirituality and integrity who was a model religious and priest, faithful to the community and the church," said Augustinian Recollects Father Domingos Machado, prior at St. Augustine Priory in Oxnard. Father De La Vega also served for a time as a priest on Marriage Encounter weekends.

Memorial donations may be sent to St. Augustine Priory, 400 W. Sherwood Way, Oxnard, CA 93033 toward the Vocation Fund for the formation of seminarians.

Fr. Eliseo Sanchez
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 18 at Calvary Cemetery Chapel, Los Angeles, for Father Eliseo Sanchez, who died Dec. 7 at age 84. Fifty-one years a priest, he served in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for 36 years.

A native of Fillmore and reared in Mexico from the age of eight, he attended seminaries in Ensenada, Tijuana and Morelia, Mexico. Following his ordination on May 31, 1957, Father Sanchez assisted at a Mexicali parish and was administrator of a mission in San Felipe, Baja California.

In the early '70s, he returned to the U.S., serving as an associate pastor at Epiphany, South El Monte (1972-77); St. Basil, Los Angeles (1977-78); St. Sebastian, Santa Paula (1978-81); St. Francis of Assisi, Fillmore (1981-86) and St. Mary of the Assumption, Santa Maria (1986-1992). He ministered as a senior priest at Our Lady of the Assumption, Ventura from 1992-93.

Fr. Roger Luna, SDB
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 18 at the Salesian Residence, Salesian High School, Richmond, for Salesian Father Roger Luna, who died Dec. 13 at Mercy Retirement and Care Center in Oakland.

Born in Highgrove (Riverside), Calif., he joined the Salesians of St. John Bosco in 1947 and majored in philosophy at Don Bosco College, Newton, N.J., for his undergraduate degree. His further education included a degree in music from Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles, an MA in English from USC and a D.Min. in theology from St. Mary's Seminary & University, Baltimore.

Ordained a priest in 1957, many years of his ministry were devoted to secondary education in Richmond, Watsonville, Rosemead and Los Angeles as a teacher of English and music, administrator and principal. In his later years, Father Luna was associate pastor at St. Dominic Savio Church, Bellflower, and pastor of St. Mary Church, Boyle Heights.

Cards and memorials may be directed to the Salesian Provincial, 1100 Franklin St., San Francisco, CA 94109. Online condolence may be offered at www.vmpandco.com.

Sr. Mary Louise Schrodt, CSJ
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 12 at Carondelet Center, Los Angeles, for St. Joseph of Carondelet Sister Mary Louise (Mary Adelaide) Schrodt, who died Dec. 4.

A native of Los Angeles, she attended Holy Cross School followed by four years at Bishop Conaty High School (then known as Catholic Girls' High). She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph at St. Mary's Academy in Inglewood in the fall of her high school graduation year.

Ministering as a teacher for more than 25 years, she taught in San Diego, Oxnard, Banning, Canoga Park, Madera, North Hollywood and Oakland. In 1969, she began a ministry that served the children of her home parish, that of librarian at Holy Cross in Los Angeles.

In 1984, Sister Schrodt began ministry in British Columbia, living in community and working in St. Joseph's Parish, Kamloops. In the summer of 1985, she became the first CSJ to work with the Shushaup tribe on the reserve in Canada, preparing a group of older students for the reception of First Eucharist.

She retired from active ministry in 1992, staying at the sisters' Holy Family retirement community where she lived for sixteen years. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Sr. Serena Ziolkowski, SP
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 18 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, for Sister of Providence Serena Ziolkowski, 90, who died Dec. 13. She had been a Sister of Providence for 72 years.

Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, she entered her religious congregation after graduating from Providence High School in Chicago. Sister Ziolkowski earned a bachelor's degree from Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles, and later acquired a master's degree from Xavier University, Cincinnati.

She ministered in education for 48 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois, California and New Hampshire. Locally, she taught at St. Therese, Alhambra (1945-51, 1976-79); St. Joseph, Hawthorne (1973-76); and St. Joseph, Lakewood (1979-80). In 1987, she moved to the Motherhouse in St. Mary-of-the-Woods where she was active in the ministry of prayer. Burial was in the cemetery of the Sisters of Providence.

Dn. Wesley Balbuena
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 3 at St. Elisabeth Church in Van Nuys for Deacon Wesley Balbuena, who died Nov. 28. Ordained to the permanent diaconate in 1990, he is survived by his wife, Mercedes, five children, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Interment was at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills.

Sr. Mary Farrer, CSC
Funeral Mass was held Dec. 11 at Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, Indiana, for Holy Cross Sister Mary Farrer (Sister Marie Helene), who died Dec. 8.

Born in Shelley, Idaho, Sister Farrer trained as a teacher and taught locally at St. Barnabas, Long Beach (1957 and 1987); St. Agnes, Los Angeles (1965 and 1969); and St. Catherine, Ventura (1983 and 1984).

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Cross Ministry with the Poor Fund, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556.

Juanita Race
Funeral Mass was held Nov. 29 at St. Bernadette Church, Los Angeles, for Juanita Race. She was the mother of Deacon Mark Race, who ministers at St. Bernadette.